Vigilante Justice...or "Righteous Kill"?

It's gotta be a cop!

The Story:

Veteran New York detectives Turk (Robert De Niro) and Rooster (Al Pacino) are on the trail of a serial  killer who is offing scumbags.  Now, while killing scumbags wouldn't seem like such a bad thing, when several of the other detectives, including Corelli (Carla Gugino), Perez (John Leguizamo) and Riley (Donnie Wahlberg) all begin to think it's a cop, naturally tensions start to rise.  But when they accuse Turk of being the killer...

Well things are going to get ugly.

Remember back when the movie "Heat" came out, and it was the first time that DeNiro and Pacino had ever worked together onscreen?  People were wild for that film...

Meh, I didn't much care for that one either.

: )

I mean, there's nothing inherently wrong with this movie, it just never kicks it up to that next level of thriller/drama/cop movie that a cast like this deserves.

First you have the serial killer, and the cops are hot on the trail.  He leaves poems explaining that these victims are bad people that somehow escaped justice, so now they face vengeance.

Cool.  I get it, and I'm with you.

Then all signs seem to point to one suspect, and so you know it can't be that guy... right?

So yes, it almost becomes a paint-by-numbers exercise in who-really-dunnit?

However, you probably figured that all out about 10 minutes after the movie started and know who the killer really is...and isn't.

But coming nearly 13 years after Heat, well, Pacino and DeNiro aren't exactly at the top of their games anymore.  Don't get me wrong, they're still good, but maybe no longer great.

So now it isn't about how great it is to have these 2 actors together, it's a nostalgia trip down memory lane because these two can play hard-nosed cops in their sleep.

Don't believe me, watch the movie.

; )

Final Grade:  C+... maybe a B- if I'm being generous.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, I'll be passing.

A Movie About "Alex Cross" Has A Lot To Live Up To...

You sir are no Morgan Freeman!

The Story:

Alex Cross (Tyler Perry), brilliant psychologist and homicide detective is on the trail of Picasso (Matthew Fox), an assassin who is murdering wealthy Detroit businessmen.  Of course, when Cross gets too close to Picasso, Picasso makes it personal.  Now Cross is determined to take this serial killer down, whether he has to break the law or not to do it.

Meh.

It's a serviceable detective flick, but nothing especially awesome to write home about.

Based on the same character that Morgan Freeman played twice before (Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider), and now I have to rewatch both of those to see if they were better than this one, or simply better because of the Morgan Freeman Factor....

: )


I can't imagine them being any worse.

Anyway, it's not a bad film.  Edward Burns tags along as Cross's best friend and partner, and he always does a fine job in whatever role he's in.

However, Cross comes across as almost too smart, out-Holmesing even Sherlock himself.  He'll randomly pull a factual nugget as he's investigating and says it so matter of factly that it comes off as pompous, not brilliant.

Anyway, with all of that said, I've seen worse thrillers.

However, I've also seen better.  Much better.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Neither to either.